House cleaning service rates are what professionals charge to clean your home, usually calculated by the hour, as a flat fee, or per square foot. Most cleaners in the U.S. charge $25 to $75 per hour per worker, with total costs ranging from $100 to $500+ depending on your home’s size, the type of cleaning you need, and where you live. Understanding these rates helps you budget accurately and compare quotes before you hire anyone.
This guide breaks down exactly how cleaning services set their prices and what you can expect to pay for different types of homes and cleaning jobs. You’ll see typical rates for standard cleaning, deep cleaning, and move-out services by square footage and room count, plus the key factors that push prices up or down. We’ll also show you real rate calculators and examples so you can estimate your own costs and know whether a quote is fair. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of what professional cleaning should cost for your specific situation.
Why house cleaning service rates matter
Knowing typical house cleaning service rates protects you from overpaying for basic tasks or accepting suspiciously cheap quotes that signal cut corners. When you understand what professionals charge in your area, you can spot fair pricing quickly and walk away from services that don’t align with market standards. Cleaning companies that charge $15 per hour might skip essential steps, use harsh chemicals, or lack proper insurance, while those asking $100 per hour for a studio apartment might be overpricing their work. Understanding the range keeps you from either extreme.
Budget accurately for ongoing service
You need a clear picture of cleaning costs if you’re planning weekly or biweekly visits that add up over time. A service that charges $200 per visit becomes $800 monthly with weekly cleanings or $400 monthly for biweekly appointments. These recurring expenses fit into your household budget differently than a one-time deep clean before the holidays. Knowing what you’ll actually spend lets you decide whether professional cleaning makes financial sense or if you should handle some tasks yourself.
Understanding standard rates helps you plan long-term cleaning budgets without financial surprises.
Compare quotes with confidence
When you receive three different quotes for the same job, understanding typical rates helps you evaluate which offer delivers the best value rather than just the lowest price. A $150 quote might include only vacuuming and dusting, while a $250 quote covers bathroom sanitizing, kitchen appliances, and baseboard cleaning. You can’t compare these fairly without knowing what each rate typically includes and whether the pricing matches the scope of work.
How to estimate your house cleaning cost
Estimating your cleaning cost starts with gathering three key pieces of information: your home’s size (either square footage or room count), the type of cleaning you need (standard, deep, or move-out), and how often you want service. You’ll use these details to calculate a rough baseline figure using the pricing structure most common in your area. Most cleaning companies share their pricing model during the initial consultation, so you can apply your home’s specifics to their rates and predict what you’ll pay before receiving a formal quote.
Calculate square footage or count rooms
Measure your total cleanable living space by multiplying the length and width of each room, then adding those numbers together. You don’t count unfinished basements, garages, or closets under 25 square feet, since most cleaning services exclude those areas from standard pricing. Your final number tells you which pricing bracket you fall into when comparing quotes that use per-square-foot rates.
Counting rooms works better if your home has unusual layouts or very large individual spaces that might skew square footage calculations. Cleaning companies that price by room typically define a "room" as a bedroom, living room, dining room, or home office, with bathrooms and kitchens counted separately since they require more intensive work. This method gives you a straightforward number to share with any service that asks, "How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you have?"
Choose your pricing structure
Understanding house cleaning service rates means knowing the three main pricing models professionals use: hourly rates ($25-$75 per cleaner), flat fees ($100-$500 per visit), or per-square-foot rates ($0.10-$0.35). Hourly pricing benefits you when your home needs minimal work and the job finishes faster than average, while flat rates protect you from unexpected overages if cleaning takes longer than the service estimated. Per-square-foot pricing works best for larger homes where size directly correlates with the time and supplies needed.
Ask potential cleaning services which model they prefer before you calculate your estimate. Some companies switch between pricing structures depending on whether you book recurring visits or one-time deep cleans, with recurring service typically qualifying for flat-rate pricing and discounts. You can’t accurately estimate costs without knowing which structure applies to your situation.
Matching your home’s specifics to the right pricing model prevents estimation errors of 30% or more.
Factor in cleaning frequency
Recurring cleaning services cost 15-25% less per visit than one-time appointments because the cleaner maintains an already-clean space rather than tackling weeks or months of buildup. A weekly service might charge $150 per visit for a home that would cost $225 for a single deep clean, bringing your monthly cost to $600 instead of paying $225 sporadically. The discount rewards loyalty and makes the service’s schedule more predictable, which they pass on to you through lower rates.
Calculate your annual cleaning budget by multiplying the per-visit cost by how many times you’ll book service each year. Weekly cleaning means 52 visits, biweekly equals 26 visits, and monthly totals 12 visits. This total reveals whether professional cleaning fits your budget or if you need to adjust frequency or handle certain tasks yourself between professional visits.
Typical house cleaning prices by home size
Your home’s size directly determines what you’ll pay for professional cleaning, with house cleaning service rates typically ranging from $0.10 to $0.20 per square foot for standard cleaning and $0.12 to $0.25 per square foot for deep cleaning. Cleaners use your square footage as the foundation for pricing because it accurately predicts how much time, labor, and supplies each job requires. A 1,000-square-foot apartment takes roughly half the time to clean as a 2,000-square-foot house, which translates directly to lower costs for smaller spaces and higher rates for larger properties.
Small apartments and condos (under 1,000 sq ft)
Small living spaces typically cost $100 to $200 for standard cleaning and $120 to $250 for deep cleaning per visit. These rates reflect the reduced time commitment for professionals who can complete most studio and one-bedroom apartments in under two hours with standard service. You’ll find that many cleaning companies set minimum pricing floors around $100 even for very small spaces, since they still need to account for travel time, supplies, and the basic operational costs of sending a team to your location.
Studios and one-bedroom apartments benefit most from biweekly or monthly recurring service rather than one-time visits, since maintaining cleanliness in a small space prevents buildup that requires more expensive deep cleaning. Your costs stay predictable when you book regular appointments, and many services offer 15-20% discounts for recurring bookings in smaller homes.
Medium homes (1,500-2,500 sq ft)
Medium-sized homes fall into the $150 to $500 price range depending on whether you need standard maintenance cleaning or intensive deep cleaning. A typical 2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom house with two bathrooms runs $200 to $400 for regular cleaning and $240 to $500 for deep cleaning, with the exact cost determined by your home’s layout, current condition, and which add-on services you select. Homes in this size range represent the sweet spot where most cleaning companies apply their standard per-square-foot rates without premiums or discounts.
Professional cleaners usually send two-person teams to medium homes, completing standard cleans in two to three hours and deep cleans in four to five hours. This staffing approach keeps your total cost reasonable while ensuring the job finishes in a single visit rather than requiring multiple appointments.
Medium-sized homes see the most competitive pricing because they match the industry’s standard service parameters.
Large homes (3,000+ sq ft)
Large properties require $300 to $750 or more per visit, with costs scaling up based on your exact square footage, number of rooms, and cleaning complexity. A 3,000-square-foot home typically costs $300 to $600 for standard cleaning and $360 to $750 for deep cleaning, though houses above 4,000 square feet often require custom quotes since they exceed standard pricing brackets. You’ll notice that some companies charge premium rates per square foot for very large homes because they need to coordinate larger teams or split the work across multiple visits.
Estates and luxury properties above 5,000 square feet usually work best with customized cleaning contracts rather than one-time pricing, allowing you to negotiate volume discounts for regular service while ensuring the cleaning company allocates sufficient staff and time. These arrangements typically bundle standard cleaning with rotating deep-cleaning tasks so your entire home stays maintained without requiring expensive whole-house deep cleans multiple times per year.
Key factors that change cleaning service rates
Understanding what drives house cleaning service rates helps you predict when quotes will fall on the higher or lower end of typical ranges. Professional cleaners evaluate several specific elements of your home and situation before setting a final price, with each factor adding or subtracting from the baseline cost. You can influence some of these variables by adjusting your expectations or preparing your space, while others depend entirely on circumstances beyond your control like geographic location or the current state of your property.
Home condition and cleanliness level
Your home’s current state determines whether cleaners quote you standard rates or premium pricing for the extra work required. A house that hasn’t been professionally cleaned in months or years requires significantly more time and effort than one maintained through regular service, which translates directly to higher costs. Cleaners typically add 20-50% to their base rates for homes with heavy buildup on surfaces, neglected bathrooms, or kitchens with baked-on grease and grime that demands special attention and stronger cleaning solutions.
Pet hair, excessive clutter, and visible dirt accumulation force cleaning teams to spend additional hours on tasks that would take minutes in a well-maintained space. You pay for this extra labor either through higher hourly rates or increased flat fees that account for the extended timeline. Preparing your home by decluttering surfaces, putting away personal items, and addressing any major messes before the cleaners arrive can reduce your final cost by keeping the job within standard time estimates.
Type of cleaning service requested
Standard cleaning costs 30-50% less than deep cleaning because the tasks involved require less intensive labor and fewer specialized products. When you book standard service, cleaners focus on visible surfaces, floors, and bathrooms using routine maintenance techniques that keep your home fresh. Deep cleaning adds baseboard scrubbing, grout cleaning, appliance interiors, light fixtures, and other detail work that demands extra time, supplies, and expertise from the cleaning team.
Move-out cleaning commands the highest rates because landlords and property managers expect spotless results that pass inspection and secure deposit returns. These services include everything in deep cleaning plus additional focus on areas like window tracks, cabinet interiors, and wall spot-cleaning that standard appointments skip. Your choice between these service types directly impacts your quote, with specialized cleaning sometimes costing twice as much as basic maintenance visits.
Matching your service type to your actual needs prevents overpaying for unnecessary deep cleaning or underestimating what standard service covers.
Geographic location and local market rates
Cleaning services in major metropolitan areas charge 25-75% more than those in rural communities because they face higher operating costs for insurance, transportation, labor, and supplies. A standard cleaning that costs $150 in a small Midwest town might run $250-300 in New York City or San Francisco, with the difference reflecting local economic conditions rather than service quality. Cost of living directly affects what cleaners must charge to maintain profitable businesses and pay their staff competitive wages.
State and local regulations also influence pricing when they require specific licenses, insurance levels, or employment practices that add overhead costs. You’ll notice that cleaning companies in areas with strict labor laws or high minimum wages adjust their rates upward to comply with these requirements while still generating reasonable profit margins.
Add-on services and special requests
Each additional service beyond basic cleaning adds $10 to $100+ to your total depending on the complexity and time required. Window cleaning, refrigerator interiors, oven scrubbing, laundry, and cabinet organization all command extra fees because they fall outside the scope of standard cleaning appointments. These tasks require specialized tools, products, or skills that justify the premium pricing, and most cleaning services list them separately on their quotes so you can choose which ones you actually need.
Rush scheduling, same-day service, or requests for specific arrival times also trigger surcharges of 15-30% since they force cleaning companies to disrupt their regular routing and staffing plans. Planning your cleaning appointments in advance and accepting the company’s preferred time slots keeps these convenience fees off your bill.
Real world examples and rate calculators
Seeing actual cleaning scenarios with real numbers helps you understand how house cleaning service rates translate into your specific situation. You can use these examples to benchmark quotes you receive and identify whether a cleaning company’s pricing aligns with typical market rates. Rate calculators available online let you input your home’s details and get instant estimates based on national averages, though you should always verify these figures with local professionals who understand your area’s specific pricing dynamics.
Standard cleaning for a 2,000 sq ft home
A homeowner in Chicago with a 2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom house books biweekly standard cleaning. The service charges $0.15 per square foot, which totals $300 per visit. With 26 visits per year, the annual cost reaches $7,800. The cleaning includes vacuuming, mopping, bathroom sanitizing, kitchen surface cleaning, and dusting. This homeowner saves 20% compared to booking monthly service at $350 per visit because the recurring schedule keeps the home consistently maintained.
Deep cleaning before hosting guests
You decide to hire cleaners for a one-time deep clean of your 1,500-square-foot apartment before family arrives for the holidays. The company quotes $0.20 per square foot plus $40 for oven cleaning and $30 for refrigerator interior as add-ons you requested. Your total comes to $370: $300 for the base deep clean and $70 for extras. The team spends four hours completing baseboard scrubbing, grout cleaning, window washing, and the additional appliance work you specified.
Real examples reveal how add-on services and home condition quickly push final costs above baseline rates.
Using online rate calculators effectively
Most cleaning company websites offer calculators where you enter your square footage, number of rooms, and service type to generate estimated costs. These tools give you a starting point but rarely account for factors like heavy pet hair, excessive clutter, or premium scheduling requests that increase actual quotes. You should use calculator results as rough ballpark figures rather than guaranteed prices, then contact at least three local services for formal quotes that reflect your specific circumstances. Input accurate information about your home’s condition and any special requirements to get the most realistic estimates from these digital tools.
Ready to plan your cleaning budget
Understanding house cleaning service rates gives you the confidence to budget accurately and compare quotes effectively before hiring any service. You now know that professionals typically charge $25 to $75 per hour or $0.10 to $0.35 per square foot, with costs varying based on your home’s size, condition, and the type of cleaning you need. Armed with this knowledge, you can evaluate whether quotes match typical market rates and identify which services deliver the best value for your specific situation.
When you’re ready to experience professional cleaning with transparent pricing and personalized attention to detail, AlphaLux Cleaning serves homeowners and businesses across New York state with customized quotes that reflect your home’s specific requirements and your preferred cleaning schedule.
